Vehicle bumper



April 4, 1950 O. E. SAUER ETAL VEHICLE BUMPER Filed NOV. 22, 1947 atented pr. 4, i950 "fj UNITED STATES PATENT o-EEICE v otto E. sauer, Meaforafana Edmund A. Meriem Boston, Mass.

Application November 22, 1947, Serial No. 787,528

comparatively inexpensive construction; which will beparticularly adapted for heavy duty on trucks and the like, and whichv will effectually cushion blows imposed thereon. v

Toy these ends We have provided an improved bumper forl vehicles which, in the preferred embodiment thereof, comprises a plurality of metal channel members or links pivotally fastened together-end to end to' provide an endless approximately elliptical articulated chain of metal channel members or links, the inner side of said chain structure including an elongate metal channel member adapted to be fixed to thechassis of a vehicle in a horizontal position where the bumper extends across one end of the vehicle in position to protect the latter, Our invention is also characterized vby the provision of spring means protectively housed within, and to a'substantial extent hidden fromview by, the channel members or links, between the flanges thereof, for yieldingly maintaining the outer side of said endless chain structure taut and spaced away from said elongate member.

Other features of the invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a vehicle bumper constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the bumper shown in Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The illustrated embodiment of our invention comprises a plurality of metal channel members or links II'I, II, I2, I2 and I3 whose flanges are pivotally connected end to end to provide an endless chain structure of ellipsoidal form as viewed in plan, with the webs of all of said channel members or links disposed outermost and vertically.

. 2 claims. (c1. 293-89) 2 arcuate channel link II and are pivotally con#- nected therewith by a bolt I6 equipped with a nut I'l, said bolt occupying apertures providedin all four flanges.

The cuter ends of the two flanges of each arcu-v ate channel link II are overlapped by the proximate ends of the two flanges of a relatively short straight channel link I2 andare pivotally connected therewith by another bolt I6 equipped with a nut I1, said bolt likewise occupying aperitures provided. in all four flanges. The opposite ends of thek flanges of each channel link I2 over` lap, and are likewise pivotally connected with, the proximate ends of the flanges of a second relatively short straight channel link I2? by means of a bolt I6 equipped with a nut. The opposite ends of the flanges of each channel link I2 are overlapped by the proximate ends of the flanges of van intermediate straight channel link I3 to which they are likewise pivotally connected by means of a bolt I6 equipped with a nut Il. This intermediate channel link I3 may, as shown, be of greater length than the links I2 and l2 but of much less lengththan the xed channel mem'-,-

ber I0.

Housed within the channel links II, I2, I2 and I3, between the Webs thereof and the bolts I6, is an outwardly bowed leaf spring I8 formed at its opposite ends with eyes I9 that are occupied by the two bolts I6 by which the outwardly arcuate links I I, I I, are connected with the fixed member I0. The spring I8 is less in width than the distance between the inner sides of the flanges of the link elements and therefore, in order to retain said spring midway between said flanges there is provided within the link I3 at the middle thereof a short metal channel member 20 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) less in width than the interiors of the link elements and within which the spring I8 is fitted. This channel member 20 holds spring I8 against edgewise displacement relatively to the links and is itself integrated with link I3 by welding as shown in Fig. 4.

Housed at its middle within the fixed channel member I0 is a bow-shaped metal leaf spring 22 having divergent end portions which extend across the space separating the inner and outer sections of the bumper into said outer section where they are formed at their extremities with eyes 23, 23, that are occupied by the bolts I6 which connect the arcuate sections II with their proximate sections I2, I2. The middle portion of the bow-shaped spring 22 is arcuate as shown and seated within a saddle or pocket comprising an arcuate bottom Wall 24 disposed between and welded to a pair of relatively perpendicular side walls 25. These side walls are tted edgewise against the inner face of the web of the xed channel member I (Fig. 5) and integrated therewith by welding as shown. Thus the spring 22 not only cooperates with spring I8 to hold the outer section of the bumper spaced away from `i'lxed member IIJ but it also serves, with the assistance of the saddle 24--25, to yieldingly oppose endwise displacement of the `outer section of the bumper under the influence of a blow delivered obliquely thereon,

We have constructed the above described bumper having the following characteristics: Over-all length six feet, nine and onehalf inches; distance between bolt holes of each arcuate link II, center to center., ve and onehalf inches; distance between bolt holes of each outermost link I2, center to center, nine inches and three-quarters; distance between bolt holes of each innermost link I2', centerto center, eleven inches and three-quarters; distance between bolt holes of link I3, center to center, twentysix inches; distance between bolt holes of fixed member I0, center to center, six `feet and two inches; both springs made from strip steel measuring three-sights oi an inch by three and onehalf inches; all bolts six and one-half inches by ve-eighths, and all channel members measuring in cross-section, two and one-half inches by six inches by one-quarter inch. After assembling the inner and outer sections of the bumper are spaced apart four and one-half inches at the middle of the bumper. yBolts six inches long and fiveeighths of an inch in diameter are employed.

A bumper constructed according to these specifications is strong and sturdy and has capacity for heavy duty service on va truck or bus, but these specifications, of course, may be varied for other types of vehicles.

What we claim is:

1. A bumper for vehicles comprising a plurality of metal channel links disposed end to end to provide an endless chain assembly of oblong form having the webs of all of the links disposed upon the exterior thereof and the ends of proximate anges of the links overlapped and formed with registering bolt holes, and bolts occupying the registering bolt holes of said overlapping flanges and pivotally connecting said links, said assembly including an inner elongate link to be x'ed in horizontal position across one end of the vehicle; two links extending laterally outwardly from and connecting the opposite ends of said elongate link with the opposite ends of an outer series of links disposed alongside of said elongate link, and spring means housed within the chan-v nels of said links, and to a substantial extent hiddenfrom View by the latter, for yieldingly maintaining said outer series of links spaced away from said fixed elongate link, said spring means including a bowed leaf spring element disposed between the Webs of said links and said bolts and formed at its opposite ends with eyes that are occupied by tire bolts at the opposite ends of said elongate link.

2. A bumper for Vehicles according to claim 2 wherein said elongate link is made at its middle and upon its interior with an arcuate pocket vfor a spring and wherein said spring means also includes a bowed leaf spring having an arcuate middle portion occupying said pocket and divergent arms atthe opposite ends thereof formed at their extremities with eyes vthat are occupied by two of said bolts that are adjacent to the opposite ends of said outer series of links.

OTTO E. SAUER. EDMUND A. MARTELLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,362,195 Sills Dec. 14, 1920 1,411,052 McGowen Mar. 28, 1922 1,792,157 Franke Feb. 10- 1931 

